All Roll Calls
Yes: 228 • No: 15
HawaiiSB 15012025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1)SenateWALLET
RELATING TO ENERGY.
Sponsored By: Glenn Wakai (Democratic)
Signed by Governor
Summary
Requires the Department of Budget and Finance to enter into step-in agreements for payment obligations arising under certain power purchase agreements. Establishes the Power Purchase Costs Trust Fund. Establishes that revenues from on-bill charges for power purchase agreements and money from a surcharge supporting a reserve account shall be held in trust by the Department of Budget and Finance, and that independent power producers shall hold a beneficial interest in the revenues to the extent of the amounts owed under the covered power purchase agreements. Appoints, authorizes, and empowers the electric utility to serve as the billing, collection, and payment agent of the Department of Budget and Finance in the service of performing step-in agreements. (CD1)
BNFPublic Utilities CommissionEnergyStep-In AgreementsPower Purchase AgreementsPower Purchase Costs Trust FundEEP, FIN
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Electric bills fund power backup
The law set an August 1, 2025 deadline for the Public Utilities Commission to establish a reserve fee for covered power agreements. Utilities must adjust monthly power charges to cover agreement costs, taxes, fees, and added expenses; the reserve account is capped at 15% of forecast monthly power purchase costs, plus specified added costs. After a default, the trust fund pays agreement costs and added administrative costs before any customer rate credit. When all step-in agreements end, remaining reserve money and interest must return to customers as a bill credit.
Power producers get backup payments
The Department of Budget and Finance must review and sign qualifying agreements within 90 days after notice. They cover projects from two named power solicitations that had not supplied electricity to the utility before July 1, 2025; the Public Utilities Commission must approve each related application. After a qualifying utility payment default, the Department pays producers from trust fund money, not other State funds; a bankruptcy filing alone is not a default. Utilities must maintain the electricity and related products provided under these agreements. After default notice, utilities must record a transfer within 24 hours and move covered revenues within 48 hours; they also handle billing and payments as the Department’s agent.
Power producers face limits on state claims
The Department of Budget and Finance does not have to pay more than the trust fund holds. Power producers and utilities cannot seek payment from other State funds for a Department payment default. For a breach of a step-in agreement, the only remedy against the Department is a court order requiring it to act; money damages are barred.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Glenn Wakai
Democratic • Senate
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 4/30/2025
Senate Floor Vote
Yes: 23 • No: 2
House vote • 4/30/2025
House Floor Vote
Yes: 46 • No: 4
Senate vote • 4/25/2025
The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS....
Yes: 3 • No: 0
House vote • 4/25/2025
The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments....
Yes: 4 • No: 0
House vote • 4/3/2025
House Floor Vote
Yes: 46 • No: 3
House vote • 3/31/2025
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ...
Yes: 14 • No: 0
House vote • 3/21/2025
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN...
Yes: 43 • No: 3
House vote • 3/20/2025
The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ...
Yes: 5 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/4/2025
Senate Floor Vote
Yes: 23 • No: 2
Senate vote • 2/27/2025
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT...
Yes: 13 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/11/2025
The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT...
Yes: 3 • No: 1
Senate vote • 2/11/2025
The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT...
Yes: 5 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Act 191, 06/06/2025 (Gov. Msg. No. 1291).
6/6/2025SenateAct 191, on 06/06/2025 (Gov. Msg. No. 1291).
6/6/2025HouseReceived notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 821).
5/2/2025SenateEnrolled to Governor.
5/2/2025SenateReceived notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 888).
5/1/2025HousePassed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 2 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte). Excused, 0 (none).
4/30/2025SenatePassed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with Representative(s) Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (4) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1).
4/30/2025HouseConference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-25-25 5:15 PM; Conference Room 309.
4/25/2025SenateConference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-25-25 5:50 PM; Conference Room 309.
4/25/2025SenateThe Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Hashimoto, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
4/25/2025SenateThe Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Yamashita, Kusch, Perruso; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos.
4/25/2025HouseReported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 201).
4/25/2025Senate48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 04-30-25.
4/25/2025SenateReported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 201) as amended in (CD 1).
4/25/2025HouseForty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 04-30-25.
4/25/2025HouseConference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 04-25-25 9:15AM in conference room 325.
4/24/2025HouseBill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Thursday, 04-24-25 9:15AM in conference room 325.
4/23/2025HouseReceived notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 754).
4/21/2025SenateHouse Conferees Appointed: Lowen, Yamashita Co-Chairs; Kusch, Perruso, Alcos.
4/17/2025HouseSenate Conferees Appointed: Hashimoto Chair; Keohokalole Co-Chair; Fevella.
4/17/2025SenateReceived notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 825).
4/17/2025HouseReceived from House (Hse. Com. No. 496).
4/4/2025SenateSenate disagrees with House amendments.
4/4/2025SenateReceived notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 590).
4/4/2025HouseReported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1936), recommending passage on Third Reading.
4/3/2025House
Bill Text
Bill Text
Original
SB1501_CD1
SB1501_HD1
SB1501_SD1
SB1501_SD2
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